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<title>it was how they had survived (and how they kept surviving) by braigwen_s</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29642061">it was how they had survived (and how they kept surviving)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/braigwen_s/pseuds/braigwen_s'>braigwen_s</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Female Friendship, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Offscreen Rape/Non-con, Jabba's Palace (Star Wars), Multi, Post-Jabba's Palace (Star Wars), Slavery, the resistance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 20:26:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>784</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29642061</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/braigwen_s/pseuds/braigwen_s</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>They went their separate ways, spilling out of Jabba’s palace, hauled out of the pit by each other, clawing their way into the light and covering their eyes against the newness and pain of it.  But they still kept in touch, every now and then.  When they needed help.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Leia Organa &amp; Multiple</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>it was how they had survived (and how they kept surviving)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Leia had been found rescuing Han, she expected to be forced alone with men. She should have expected not to be the only one. She had seen the other girls, after all, she just hadn’t wanted to think about it. The plan had been to get Han, pick up the droids, and then get out. She realised how awful that had been when she was surrounded in what a guard had matter-of-factly told her was “the slave pit.”</p><p>“You were that bounty hunter,” said one of the women. “With the mask and the armour and holding a thermal detonator. I thought that you would blow the place up.”</p><p>“Yes,” said Leia. “I failed.”</p><p>“You did well,” said another. “You got all the way to Jabba. You made him do what you wanted him to, for once.”</p><p>“You came to rescue your man, didn’t you?” asked a third. “That was brave of you. That was good.”</p><p>She said that she was Leia, and they told her their names as well.</p><p>Greeata Jendowanian, a Rodian, who had been an accomplished singer. Lyn Me, a Twi’lek, who had deceived by Bib Fortuna, Jabba’s majordomo, and been taken from her village. Rystáll Sant, half Human and half Theelin. Yarna d’al’ Gargan, Askajian, who had been taken from her husband and their cublings. Manaroo, an Azuran. They told her things, without pity, but with solidarity, and she learned about other people who had been and gone, been killed, in Jabba the Hutt’s slave pit. <em>The chains that you are wearing were forced onto Oola. The clothing that you are wearing was forced onto Shaliqua.</em></p><p> </p><p>After Leia had killed Jabba, she went back to his palace.</p><p>“Huttslayer,” said Rystáll, kneeling.</p><p>“Get on your feet,” said Lyn Me, disgusted, to the woman beside her. “You’re free.”</p><p>“What Lyn Me said,” confirmed Leia. And they went their separate ways, spilling out of Jabba’s palace, hauled out of the pit by each other, clawing their way into the light and covering their eyes against the newness and pain of it.</p><p> </p><p>But they still kept in touch, every now and then. When they needed help. When they needed to share. Manaroo had nightmares. Greeata flew for three days to reach her and sit with her.</p><p>Rystáll found a husband, then five years later he left her.</p><p>Yarna found three out of her four cublings. Her husband and fourth child had died while they were looking for her.</p><p>Lyn Me lost her job and her home. Leia raised heaven and earth, and hell as well. Lyn Me was found another job, was found another home. Lyn Me didn’t thank her, because they didn’t thank each other. They just helped each other when they needed it and could. It was how they had survived, and it was how they kept surviving. If one of them called, they came running.</p><p> </p><p>Leia found a husband, too, and “that was brave of you. That was good” echoed around her head during the wedding ceremony, even as she recited Alderaanian, Correllian, Galactic Basic rite.</p><p>Then everything went to shit for her. She lost her husband, she lost her child, she lost her job. She was back where she was thirty years ago, trying to convince the Senate to move, to fight an enemy that the people that she thought understood refused to see.</p><p>She called everybody that she knew for help. Gial Ackbar came, from the old Rebellion. Norra Wexley sent her son, in her stead. The Rebellion came through, but not with nearly enough. Mon Mothma had passed away. The Senate found her few allies.</p><p>The girls from the slave pit came through. If one of them called, they came running.</p><p> </p><p>“Fuck him,” said Rystáll, “you deserve so much better.”</p><p>“I believe you,” said Manaroo. “If this First Order is bad, then people need to fight it.”</p><p>Yarna looked her up and down and said “You had a cub. Come here.” Her hug was careful, but it helped.</p><p>Lyn Me didn’t say anything, but she did come.</p><p>Greeata didn’t have a blaster to bring, but with a cheeky, small smile, she showed Leia a thermal detonator. It was how they had survived, and it was how they kept surviving.</p><p> </p><p>Five years later, her husband who had left came back, and then he died.</p><p>The Resistance got a new recruit out of it.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t know how to live in clothes that are my own,” said Finn. “I don’t know how to eat meals without people telling me what to eat, and how, and when. I don’t know how to live without being watched, constantly.”</p><p>General Leia Organa said, “There are some people I’d like for you to meet.”</p>
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